Dewey Decimal System
Who is Dewey and why do I need to know?
Melville Dewey was a librarian who developed the Dewey Decimal Classification System in 1876. He wanted to make the library a place where every type of reader could easily and quickly access books, while still meeting a library’s growing needs.
He arranged all known information into 10 broad subject areas and assigned numbers to them ranging from 000 to 900. Each of these 10 broad subject areas is broken down into smaller subgroups with assigned numbers broken down by 10s, from 10 to 90, and to the 1s. The most specific categories are classified using a decimal.
Books in the NCS Library Media Center are organized using the Dewey Decimal Classification System. NCS students should become familiar with this system in order to successfully access books in the Library Media Center.
Here is your guide to the Dewey Decimal Classification System
| Call Number | Classification | Subgroups |
| 000 | General Works | Encyclopedias, Almanacs, Atlases, Museums, Maps, Newspapers, Internet |
| 100 | Philosophy and Psychology | Ethics, Superstition, Friendship, Optical Illusions, Feelings and Emotions |
| 200 | Religion and Mythology | World Religions, Mythology |
| 300 | Social Science | Social Issues, Government, Careers, Court Systems, Military, Environmental, Holidays, Education, Transportation |
| 400 | Languages | Foreign Language, Dictionaries, Codes, Grammar, Braille, Sign Language |
| 500 | Natural Sciences and Mathematics | Math, Astronomy, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, Weather, Geology, Plants, Animals |
| 600 | Applied Science and Technology | Engineering, Computers, Inventions, Anatomy, Pets, Woodworking, Building |
| 700 | Art | Architecture, Painting, Photography, Music, Dance, Sports, Drawing, Art Appreciation |
| 800 | Literature and Poetry | Plays, Poetry, Jokes, Riddles, Shakespeare |
| 900 | History and Geography | Countries, States, Civilizations, Travel, American and World History, Flags, Archeology, Tribes, Wars |